Day 130 Preparing to land 8/1/14

Position: 33.13 S, 106.54 EI hope to be in to Fremantle by around Jan. 15 , and I’ve started to get ready to make a landing. When entering a foreign port, you need a yellow ‘quarantine’ flag, which is flown from the spreaders as you enter harbour, but I don’t have one. I’ve have searched West Wind high and low for any piece of yellow cloth. I found a pair of orange rubber fisherman’s gloves with an inner fleece lining which is “yellow”. I have pulled them out and will sew a small yellow triangle out of the material and hope that will work. The other item I need is an Australian courtesy flag. This may present a bigger problem so I will have to work on this in the coming days before reaching Fremantle.

I’m not carrying a large wardrobe and luckily Australia’s weather will be hot, so my shorts and t-shirts will do. I’m also glad I have enough fresh water to shower and wash my clothes. I’m about four months overdue for a hair cut, but not going to try that myself. The last time I did was seven years ago on board Kim Chow. I started cutting on one side and worked my way to the other side. Then I had to go back to the other side to even it out. This went on for half an hour until I ran out of hair. In the end, I just shaved my head. I never realized I had so many scars, lumps and bumps on my scalp. Thank goodness I had four more months to grow it out before I reached land.That was the first and last time for that. When I was picked up by the Argentine navy near the Falklands, one of the many kindnesses afforded me on the Porto Deseado, was a visit to the ship’s barber for a hair and beard trim.

I’ve been in contact with the Australian Customs and Immigration officials, the Commodore, Bob Kucera, and the Harbour Master of the Fremantle Sailing Club who have very generously extended a number of services to me. They have a designated quarantine area so I can clear customs right there. There will be several people there to meet me, whom I’ve talked to on the radio over a period of seven years, but have not ever met and I’m very excited to meet them. They are the Ham operators who are warm, generous, loyal, and very entertaining for a solo circumnavigator. They’ve kept me company and relayed messages for me over the many months I’ve been at sea. They’ve relayed important messages to MaryLou and our two daughters Nicola and Claire. Landing in Fremantle will mark the end of my single handed voyage but meeting these extraordinary people for the first time will be a wonderful moment. It will be a very emotional time for me. When I’ve said before that my voyages were really all about the people, these are some of those people.

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Comments

You are a sailing MacGyver to be be sure. This will be the most unusual quarantine flag that customs has ever seen. I am so pleased for you that you will have a chance to meet some of the ‘voices’ and people who have been dear to you on your journey(s). That will be a precious time that none can imagine. We are thinking of you as you enter the final days of this stage of your journey. The path ahead remains to be seen. But what anticipation and expectation on where each day will lead!

Landfalll – I am excited to see you safely in port, although the emotions will be overwhelming to say the least. Very happy you will have such a welcoming committee! I look forward to reading your posts first thing in the morning! Greetings from rainy Seattle.

How exciting Glenn. I can hear the anticipation in your ‘voice’. As you mentioned, the start of your new journey, beginning with meeting those that have helped you along your way. Enjoy every minute! After all, that is what life is all about – enjoying the now. My thoughts are with you and MaryLou as you move toward reuniting. Dawne